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Justice Uche Agomoh of a Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, today March 8, 2022, convicted and sentenced the trio of Tirimisiyu Idowu Taoreed, Adebisi Dolapo Adetayo and Shittu Ganiu Olamilekan to different jail terms cybercrime.
The convicts pleaded “guilty” to the one count charge each for the offence of fraudulent impersonation preferred against them by the EFCC.
The charge against Timisiriyu Idowu Taoreed reads: “That you, Timisiriyu Idowu Taoreed ‘M’, sometime in 2021 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one BJ Vilalobos via your Google Gmail account with an address [email protected] with intent to gain monetary advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (iv) of the same Act.”
The charge against Adetayo Dolapo Adetayo reads: “That you, Adebisi Dolapo Adetayo sometime in 2020, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one Beatrice Tina via your Google Gmail with address [email protected] with intent to gain monetary advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act.”
The charge against Shittu Ganiu Olamilekan reads: “That you, Shittu Ganiu Olamilekan ‘M’, on or about the 11th day of February, 2021 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one Bill McDonald via your Gmail account you created with an address [email protected] with intent to gain monetary advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act.”
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, Oyelakin Oyediran tendered as evidence, documents printed from the convicts’ emails, iPhones and laptops, as well as their confessional statements which were admitted as exhibits by the court. He prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants as charged.
Consequently, they were convicted and sentenced.
Timisiriyu Idowu Taoreed was sentenced to five months imprisonment, Adetayo Dolapo Adetayo to six months imprisonment while Shittu Ganiu Olamilekan bagged eleven months jail term.
The convicts were ordered to pay the sum of $3, 702USD (Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Two United States Dollars), N127, 080.33 (One Hundred and Twenty-Seven Thousand, Eighty Naira, Thirty Three Kobo) in restitution and forfeit four mobile phones, one MacBook and one silver HP Laptop to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
